Sam Allardyce’s squad have flown out to Dubai today for their week of warm weather training.

The Sunderland boss says the trip will mean the players come back fitter both “physically and mentally – they’ll be better prepared to finish the season.”

The relentless nature of the English football season means it is unquestionably a good thing for the players to enjoy a change of scenery and climate – as well as the opportunity for some team bonding.

And Allardyce, who has taken his teams on mid-season breaks since his days at Bolton, insists that the ProZone data proves there are tangible benefits.

No doubt this is true, but how well has this translated on to the pitch and into results?

How have his teams fared in recent years after the Dubai trip – has there been a noticeable upturn in form?

We looked at the last three seasons, when Allardyce was in charge at West Ham, to see if the break in the sun had a positive influence on his team’s results.

West Ham – 2014/15

Date of break: Early March

First game back: Lost 3-0 to Arsenal

Second game back: Won 1-0 against Sunderland

Overall post-break record: P10 - W2, D2, L6

The Hammers flew out in early March after a seven-game winless streak in all competitions. Their first game back, away at Arsenal, was a tough one and they lost 3-0. Allardyce wrote in his Evening Standard column: “Of course, if you happen to lose the first game after returning, then someone, somewhere, will say ‘what a waste of money’ but it’s not about that first game — but the nine after that.”

They scored a late winner against Sunderland in the following game, but then won only one more game before the end of the campaign as their season fizzled out.

They finished in 12th place and Allardyce’s contract wasn’t renewed, despite the board saying they were “truly grateful” to Big Sam for restoring West Ham as an established Premier League club.

West Ham – 2013/14

Date of break: Mid-February

First game back: Won 3-1 against Southampton

Second game back: Lost 1-0 to Everton

Overall post-break record: P12 – W4, L8

Allardyce’s men flew out in mid-February, as the Sunderland players have done this year. They had won three on the trot before the break and continued their good form in the first game back with a 3-1 win over Southampton.

After that, though, they won only three out of the remaining 11 games as their season tailed off and they finished in 13th place.

West Ham – 2012/13

Date of break: Mid-February

First game back: Lost 3-2 to Tottenham

Second game back: Won 1-0 against Stoke

Overall post-break record: P12 – W4, D4, L4

This was West Ham’s first season back in the top flight after Sam Allardyce had led them to promotion at the first attempt.

They started the season well with two wins out of their first three games and kept picking up points throughout the campaign to finish in an impressive 10th place.

The trip in mid-February seemed to boost the squad as they lost only four games afterwards, and picked up draws against Liverpool and Man Utd.

Overall verdict:

In 2012/13 it seemed to help re-invigorate the newly-promoted squad for the final stretch of the season, but in the following two years West Ham’s form wasn’t great after the trip.

There are countless other factors involved in a team’s run of form, however. and the fact the Hammers weren’t playing for a great deal in both those seasons might explain why they fizzled out.

In stark contrast Sunderland have a relegation scrap on their hands and, coupled with the morale-boosting win over Man Utd, the trip should ensure they are re-energised and re-focused for the trip to Upton Park to face Allardyce’s old team on 27 February.